Description
Discover the poignant and heart-wrenching narrative of 'What Strange Paradise', the award-winning novel by acclaimed author Omar El Akkad, who masterfully brings the global refugee crisis into sharp focus through the eyes of a child. Following nine-year-old Amir, a Syrian boy who narrowly escapes the tumultuous seas that have claimed countless lives, the story plunges into the depths of human empathy and the harsh realities faced by those seeking safety from conflict. Alongside him is Vänna, a teenage girl from the island, who grapples with her own sense of alienation and is determined to protect Amir despite their language barrier. This powerful literary journey, rich with emotional depth and insight, alternates between the past and present to unravel the complexities of their lives and the world around them. Spanning 256 pages, 'What Strange Paradise' delves into the themes of hope, despair, and the fundamental need for connection amidst chaos. A must-read for anyone interested in contemporary fiction, social issues, and the human experience, this novel is both a heartbreaking and hopeful tale. It is a timely reminder of the realities many face in pursuit of a safe haven, making it a crucial addition to any reader’s library. Order now, and enjoy free shipping on this stunning trade paperback edition. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery, and note that orders cannot be cancelled once placed.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781529069488
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2021
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK
Pages: 256
Description:
WINNER OF THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE 2021
From the widely acclaimed author of American War, Omar El Akkad, a beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic and profoundly moving novel that brings the global refugee crisis down to the level of a child's eyes.
More bodies have washed up on the shores of a small island. Another over-filled, ill-equipped, dilapidated ship has sunk under the weight of its too-many passengers: Syrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Lebanese, Palestinians, all of them desperate to escape untenable lives in their homelands. And only one had made the passage: nine-year-old Amir, a Syrian boy who has the good fortune to fall into the hands not of the officials, but of Vänna: a teenage girl, native to the island, who lives inside her own sense of homelessness in a place and among people she has come to disdain. And though Vänna and Amir are complete strangers and don't speak a common language, Vänna determines to do whatever it takes to save him.
In alternating chapters, we learn the story of Amir's life and of how he came to be on the boat; and we follow the duo as they make their way towards a vision of safety. But as the novel unfurls, we begin to understand that this is not merely the story of two children finding their way through a hostile world. Omar El Akkad's What Strange Paradise is the story of our collective moment in this time: of empathy and indifference, of hope and despair - and of the way each of those things can blind us to reality, or guide us to a better one.
PRAISE FOR WHAT STRANGE PARADISE
'Impassioned and richly detailed, What Strange Paradise mo
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781529069488
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2021
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK
Pages: 256
Description:
WINNER OF THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE 2021
From the widely acclaimed author of American War, Omar El Akkad, a beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic and profoundly moving novel that brings the global refugee crisis down to the level of a child's eyes.
More bodies have washed up on the shores of a small island. Another over-filled, ill-equipped, dilapidated ship has sunk under the weight of its too-many passengers: Syrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Lebanese, Palestinians, all of them desperate to escape untenable lives in their homelands. And only one had made the passage: nine-year-old Amir, a Syrian boy who has the good fortune to fall into the hands not of the officials, but of Vänna: a teenage girl, native to the island, who lives inside her own sense of homelessness in a place and among people she has come to disdain. And though Vänna and Amir are complete strangers and don't speak a common language, Vänna determines to do whatever it takes to save him.
In alternating chapters, we learn the story of Amir's life and of how he came to be on the boat; and we follow the duo as they make their way towards a vision of safety. But as the novel unfurls, we begin to understand that this is not merely the story of two children finding their way through a hostile world. Omar El Akkad's What Strange Paradise is the story of our collective moment in this time: of empathy and indifference, of hope and despair - and of the way each of those things can blind us to reality, or guide us to a better one.
PRAISE FOR WHAT STRANGE PARADISE
'Impassioned and richly detailed, What Strange Paradise mo